PERTANIKA JOURNAL OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

This paper investigates the active dynamic and electromechanical characteristics of a new thin folded dielectric electro-active polymer actuator developed by Danfoss PolyPower. The high voltage is supplied to the actuator during dynamic testing to identified the effect of the electrical field on dynamic characteristics. The electromechanical characteristics are investigated by varying the amplitude and frequency of the voltage supplied. The experimental results, such as natural frequency, amplitude response, and loss factor are presented to show the influence of such an electrical field on the characteristic of the actuator. There is a reduction of resonance frequency from 14 Hz to 12 Hz as voltage supply up to 2000 V. The actuating response of the actuator was subjected more to frequency rather than the amplitude of the voltage supplied. Hence, the results may guide the exploration of a new folded thin actuator as an active vibration controller.

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